SEND Information For Parents

Bournes Green Infant School

Special Educational Needs Information Report

Bournes Green Infant School is committed to meeting the needs of all children, including those with special educational needs. There is a shared expectation that all children, regardless of their individual needs, will be offered inclusive teaching which will enable them to make the best possible progress in school and feel that they are a valued member of our school community.

Monitoring the support for children with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND), social and emotional difficulties, developing the school’s SEND Policy to make sure all children receive a consistent, high quality provision to meet their needs in school.

Ensuring that parents/carers are:

Kept informed about the support their child is getting

Involved in supporting their child’s learning

Involved in reviewing progress

Working with all other agencies who may be involved in supporting children’s learning such as Speech and Language Therapists, Educational Psychologists, Physiotherapists etc.

Maintaining records of children’s support, progress and needs.

Providing specialist support and training for teachers and support staff in the school so that they can help children within the school achieve the best progress possible.

Quality First Teaching

High quality first teaching is differentiated and personalised and will meet the individual needs of the majority of children. All teachers constantly keep progress under review and pitch their teaching to meet the needs of the children in their class. Some children need educational provision that is additional to or different from this. Special educational provision is underpinned by high quality teaching and is compromised by anything less.

Concern

Speak to your child’s class teacher and share your concern. Your child’s teacher will then make any necessary changes to support your child. The impact of these changes will be reviewed at an agreed date.

If there are still concerns the teacher will speak to the SENCO and your views will be part of this referral. The concern will be explored by the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) alongside your child’s class teacher. The child’s own views will be collected and used to support the outcomes.

Changes will be made to the support your child receives. Where appropriate expertise from outside agencies will be sought. You will be kept informed throughout the whole process.

Teaching and Learning

Class teachers plan and adapt lessons accordingly to suit all learners so that all children are able to access it according to their specific needs.

Classrooms are designed to create an enriching, visually stimulating, multi-sensory learning environment to enable all children to access the curriculum and resources they require.

Support staff, under the direction of the class teacher, can further adapt planning to support the needs of your child where necessary. Specific resources and strategies including visual and tactile resources will be used to support your child individually and in groups. A small number of children may need a quieter area or more tailored visual aids to support them and these are put into place where needed.

School Assessment

As a school we assess the progress of all children against national age related expectations. Your child’s progress will be continually monitored and assessed by his/her class teacher.

We track children’s progress from their admission through to Year 2, using a variety of different methods, including the National Curriculum expectations.

His/her progress will be reviewed formally with the Headteacher/SENCO and Senior Leadership Team every term in reading, writing and mathematics.

Teachers will monitor progress following targeted interventions and support in class. Individual targets are regularly reviewed by the child’s teacher and any other adults that support that child. The progress of children on the SEN Register is reviewed with parents at the end of every term.

In addition, the progress of children with a statement of SEN/EHC Plan will be formally reviewed at an Annual Review, with all adults involved with the child’s education invited.

Regular book scrutinies and lesson observations will be carried out by the Senior Management Team to ensure that the needs of all children are met and that the quality of teaching and learning is high.

SEN Support

The triggers for intervention through SEN Support will be concern, underpinned by evidence, about a child who despite receiving differentiated learning opportunities:

Makes little or no progress even when teaching approaches are targeted particularly in a child’s identified area of weakness

Shows signs of difficulty in developing literacy or mathematics skills which result in poor attainment in some other curriculum areas

Presents persistent emotional or behavioural difficulties which are not resolved following the behaviour management techniques usually employed in the school

Has sensory or physical problems, and continues to make little or no progress despite the provision of specialist equipment

Has communication and/or interaction difficulties, and continues to make little or no progress despite the provision of a differentiated curriculum

When a class teacher identifies that a child has SEND and moves onto SEN Support – the class teacher devises interventions additional to or different from those provided as part of the school’s medium term planning. The class teacher remains responsible for working with the child on a daily basis for planning and delivering an individualised programme – an Individual Support Plan (ISP) will be devised in liaison with the SENCO

We will then:

ask for help from external services, if appropriate

ensure decisions are informed by the insights of parents and those of children and young people themselves

have high ambitions and set stretching targets for them

track their progress towards these goals

keep under review the additional or different provision that is made for them

promote positive outcomes in the wider areas of personal and social development

ensure that the approaches used are based on the best possible evidence and are having the required impact on progress

The external specialist may act in an advisory capacity or provide additional specialist assessment. The delivery of interventions recorded in the provision map continues to be the responsibility of the class teacher. For most children, extra help will be provided within the classroom, managed by the class teacher. Where it involves spending some time outside the class in small groups or individually, it will nonetheless be in the context of the inclusive, broad and balanced curriculum.

School request for a Statutory Assessment

Where a request for a statutory assessment is made by the school to the LA, the child will have demonstrated significant cause for concern. The LA will be provided with information about the child’s progress over time, and will be given documentation in relation to the child’s special educational needs and any action taken to deal with those needs, including any resources or special arrangements put in place. The school will provide this evidence through SEN Support. This information may include:

Individual Support Plans for the child

Records of regular reviews and their outcomes

The child’s health including the child’s medical history where relevant

National Curriculum levels attainments in literacy and mathematics

Educational and other assessments, for example from an advisory specialist support teacher or an educational psychologist

Views of the parents and of the child

Involvement of other professionals such as health, social services or Speech and language Service

Statutory Assessment of Special Educational Needs

Statutory assessment involves consideration by the LA, working co-operatively with parents, the school and, as appropriate, other agencies, as to whether a statutory assessment of the child’s special educational needs is necessary. A child will be brought to the LA’s attention as possibly requiring an assessment through a request by the school when a child has failed to make significant progress over a period of time despite the school taking relevant and purposeful action, from a parent or a referral by another agency. Where the evidence presented to the LA suggests that the child’s learning difficulties have not responded to relevant and purposeful measures taken by the school and external specialists and may call for special educational provision which cannot reasonably be provided within the resources normally available to mainstream schools, the LA will consider the case for a statutory assessment of the child’s special educational needs. The LA may decide that the degree of the child’s learning difficulty and the nature of the provision necessary to meet the child’s special educational needs is such as to require the LA to determine the child’s special educational provision through an Education and Health Care (EHC) Plan.

An EHC Plan will include:

The child’s name, address and date of birth

Details of all of the children’ special needs

Identify the special educational provision necessary to meet the children special educational needs

Identify the type and name of the school where the provision is to be made

Include relevant non-educational needs of the child

Include information on non-educational provisionAll children with EHC Plans will have targets identified in their plans; these will be broken down into short-term targets that will be recorded on Individual Support Plans (ISPs). They will be discussed with parents and children, as applicable. This work will take place in the classroom setting wherever possible. The delivery of the interventions recorded in the ISPs will be the responsibility of the class teacher.

Annual Review of an EHC Plan

All EHC Plans must be reviewed at least annually with the parents, the child, the LA, the school and other professionals involved invited to consider whether any amendments need to be made to the description of the child’s needs or to the special educational provision specified in the statement. The annual review will focus on what the child has achieved as well as on any difficulties that need to be resolved.

At the transition between the Infant and Junior School the SENCO of the Junior school will be invited to attend the final annual review of children with EHC Plans. This will allow the Junior School to plan appropriate provision to start at the beginning of the new school year and enable the child and the parents to be reassured that an effective and supportive transfer will occur.

Individual Support Plans

Individual Support Plans will contain:

The nature of the difficulties which a child is experiencing

Any additional information e.g. medical requirements, which may have an effect on a child in school

A child’s strengths

Parental and child views

Who will be working with a child, what the adult child ratio will be and the frequency of the intervention

It may include the materials, equipment, activities, rewards etc. which will be needed

How parents can support their child (This will be discussed with them)

Termly progress updates

The date of the next review of the child’s progress, to which parents will be invited

At Bournes Green Infant School we see the ISP as a planning and reviewing tool. The aim is it will underpin the process of planning intervention for the individual needs of SEND children.

All interventions and resources available are presented on an ISP for each child receiving SEND Support. Any interventions that have taken place are included and dated in order to record provision made for each child.

School Provision

Teachers are responsible for teaching SEN groups/individuals.

Teaching Assistants will work with either individual children or small groups both within the classroom and in learning spaces around the school.

ICT support in the form of iPads is provided for specific targeted skills/learning needs.

Therapeutic Play lead offer support for children with emotional and social development through nurture work individually and within small groups.

Speech and Language Therapist offers support for children with difficulties in speech and language.

Local Authority Provision delivered in school

Autism/ADHD Outreach Service

Educational Psychology Service

Specialist teachers for visual or hearing needs

Specialist Speech and Language Service

Behaviour Outreach.

Mental Health Service

Health Provision delivered in school

Speech and Language Therapists may at time model interventions within school.

Occupational Therapy may discuss programmes and model interventions within school.

Extra-curricular Activities

We encourage all children to take part in extracurricular activities.

Some children may need extra adult support during these activities and as a fully inclusive school we use our best endeavours to enable this support to be put in place. Parents/carers will be involved in planning for any of these activities and provision reviewed in relation to the needs identified.

School Accessibility

We are committed to providing an accessible environment which values and includes all children, staff, parents and visitors regardless of their education, physical, sensory, social, spiritual, emotional and cultural needs. We are committed to challenging negative attitudes about disability and accessibility and to developing a culture of awareness, tolerance and inclusion.

The school building and playground is accessible for wheelchair access with ramps to enter and leave the building at various points.

The use of Makaton and PECS (Picture Exchange Communication) is used to support children who have difficulties with communication as identified in their individual plans.

We use i-pads with specialist apps for communication.

Home school communications are clearly explained to parents through the use of a translator, if required.

We do have a disabled parking bay if required.

Social and Emotional Difficulties

We provide pastoral support which includes time to talk through situations that children find difficult and activities to support emotional and social development.

We are able to signpost parents to a number of services to support emotional and behavioural difficulties.

Governors

Governors receive a SEN Report termly. The named governor for Special Educational Needs is Mrs Budge. She has the responsibility to monitor the effective implementation of the SEND policy. Mrs Budge can be contacted via the school office.

Parental Consultations

At Bournes Green Infant School we hold termly Parent/Carer Consultation Evenings that allow teachers to talk through children’s progress with their parents/carers.

If your child is identified as a concern and/or not making progress, the class teacher will not necessarily wait for an open evening to discuss your child’s needs. They will initially set up a meeting to discuss the issue in more detail and to:

Listen to any concerns you may have.

Plan any additional support your child may need

Discuss with you any existing referrals to outside professionals to support your child.

For some Children with an identified need a Home/School liaison book is used.

Review Meetings

For children won SEN Support, meetings are held termly to discuss provision for support and to review progress. If necessary, other professionals and the child may be invited to these meetings. The outcome of these meetings usually determines whether the child requires the ISP to be continued. If so the targets will be discussed with the parents.

Support for Teachers

The SENCO’s job is to support the class teacher in identifying, assessing and planning support for children with SEN.

The school provides training and support to enable all staff to improve the teaching and learning of children, including those with SEN. Training is provided by specialists relevant to the needs of specific children or identified needs within the school.

Outreach services offer training within school working alongside teachers in class, providing in school training and off site training e.g. Behaviour Support Specialist teacher, Speech and Language Therapists.

Specialist outreach teachers visit the school and complete assessments and provide detailed reports outlining how to support individual children e.g. Educational Psychologists, Speech and Language specialist teacher.

The SENCO will attend relevant training, meetings and cluster groups in order to maintain and develop professional knowledge.

Support for Children

Specialist professionals from external agencies contribute to meeting children’s needs. This may involve a child having:

Parents with children already identified as having particular learning needs or disabilities will be invited to discuss those needs with the school prior to admission.

If a child is identified as having special needs and /or disabilities, parents will be consulted at each step. The school will always tell parents when their child is receiving help for their SEND through a meeting arranged by the class teacher or SENCO. Following consultation parents of children with learning difficulties will receive a copy of the ISP.

We aim to work in partnership with parents to enable them to play a more active and informed role in their child’s education. At Bournes Green Infant School we believe that such a partnership is key in enabling children with SEND to achieve their potential.

Parents of any child identified with SEN may contact the Parent Partnership Service for independent support and advice.

Child Participation

At Bournes Green Infant School we recognise the importance of the child’s own point of view. They are encouraged to participate in their learning wherever appropriate by taking part in the process of setting learning targets, contributing to ISPs, discussing their strengths and progress.

On Entry

We contact the child’s previous school/playgroup/nursery and any available information is collected. The SENCO and EYFS teacher will visit when appropriate.

Your child will be able to visit our school and stay for additional visits, if this is appropriate. For some children we may facilitate a phased transition to help your child to acclimatise to their new surroundings.

If your child has a Statement or an Education, Health Care Plan and is changing to our school we will, whenever possible, arrange to meet with parents at a review meeting with the current setting.

Changing Classes

Handover sessions are held for all teachers to attend so that a child’s previous teacher has a chance to pass on valuable information to their new teacher.

Additional transition arrangements will be made where appropriate. This may include the creation of a transition book or social story including images of the new classroom and teacher. Each transition plan is prepared on an individual basis.

Transition to another school/Bournes Green Junior School

Children who have been identified with SEND have a carefully managed transition to our Junior School/another school, appropriate to their own individual needs. The new school SENCO will be informed about any special arrangements or support that need to be made for your child. A planning meeting will take place with the SENCO from the receiving school. Children with SEND are also given the opportunity to voice any particular concerns they may have.

We will make sure that all records about Children with SEND are passed on as soon as possible.

If your child would be helped by a book or social story to support them to understand the move one will be made for them.

Staff may accompany children when visiting their new setting, if appropriate, and staff from the new setting may visit our school.

Curriculum Access and Inclusion

Bournes Green Infant School strives to be an inclusive school with a sense of community and belonging through its inclusive ethos. This is achieved by having a broad and balanced curriculum for all children and systems for early identification of barriers to learning. High expectations and suitable targets are in place for all children.

Every attempt is made to provide resources that reflect the cultural mix of our school. We always aim to avoid the use of gender or racial stereo-typical images.

Disability

We recognise and support the rights of children as outlined in the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA). We will take all reasonable steps to ensure that disabled children or prospective children are not placed at any disadvantage compared to their non-disabled peers. The range of needs and requirements of our children and parents, current and future are reviewed on an on-going basis.

Children with Medical Needs

Children who are unable to attend school because of medical needs will be referred to the Southend Tuition Service for Children and Young People with Medical Needs. Further information regarding this can be obtained from the LA. The school will work in partnership with the LA home teaching staff or the appropriate hospital staff. See our policy for Children with Medical Needs. The teacher responsible for children with medical needs is Mrs Sheern.

Resources

The partnerships between the SENCO, class teachers and teaching assistants are our most valuable resources. Specific additional resources for SEND children stored centrally. Subject Leaders will also take into account the needs of all abilities when purchasing new equipment.

Use of IT for Learning Support

IT is used to enhance access to the curriculum and we aim to develop the use of IT to target more specific learning difficulties.

Funding

The school budget, received from Southend Local Authority, includes money for supporting children with SEN. The Headteacher decides on the deployment of resources for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, in consultation with the SENCO, and school governors on the basis of needs in the school. The Special Needs budget contributes towards TA salaries. It also finances support from other agencies where necessary and appropriate. In addition the school plans and provides for children with SEND from their main budget.

The class teacher and the SENCO discuss the individual child’s needs and what support would be appropriate to meet these needs. Different children will require different levels and types of support in order to help them make progress and achieve their potential.

Decisions concerning support are made in consultation with parents, teachers and when appropriate external specialists.

The child’s own views are also taken into account, if appropriate.

The school identifies the provision for SEN children on an Individual Support Plan. This identifies all support given within school and is reviewed regularly. Changes are made as needed, so that the needs of all children are met, and resources are deployed as effectively as possible.

Evaluation

The success of the school’s SEND Policy and provision are to be evaluated through:

The early and accurate identification of children’ learning difficulties and needs.

Children achieving the targets set which indicates targets are specific, achievable and appropriate.

Appropriate movement of children through the graduated approach.

Close working links with outside agencies and Governing Body

The positive involvement of, and feedback from, parents and children.

Monitoring of classroom practice by the SENCO, subject co-ordinators and the SLT

Analysis of child tracking data and test results

-for cohorts

-for individual children

Termly monitoring of procedures and practice by SEND Governor

Self Evaluation

Using LA SEND data/ Specialist and Link inspector visit information.

School Development Plan (SDP) and SEND Audit and Development Plan.

Queries & Complaints

If you have any further questions regarding our provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, please do not hesitate to contact the school.

You can either:

Contact via the school on 01702 587099

Email concerns or questions to office@bournesgreen-inf.southend.sch.

Speak to the SENCO.

The school is very happy to respond to queries. The LA Parent Partnership Service is also available if you have any queries or concerns on 01702 215658.

The school responds to complaints in line with our general complaints procedures. . Alternatively you can contact a member of the Senior Leadership Team. More complex problems which cannot be resolved in this way will be referred to the LA Parent Partnership Service.

If you feel that you need to make a complaint any time please refer to our complaints procedure which is available on the website

Other Information

The Southend-on-Sea Council Local Offer is available on the SHIP (Southend Help and Information Point) website: